Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Miaoli Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Miaoli

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $888 in Miaoli, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $1,619 in Miaoli, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $2,351 in Miaoli, rent included.

Medellin costs about 16% more than Miaoli, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Miaoli are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Miaoli 34% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$3.29 NT$106

87.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$24.96 NT$806

30.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$4.98 NT$161

47.39%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$2.79 NT$90.0

-38.35%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.05 COP 3,420

$1.17 NT$37.67

-10.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.75 NT$24.11

2.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

$1.64 NT$52.9

3.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$2.59 NT$83.7

22.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$2.93 NT$94.7

-64.16%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$1.39 NT$44.88

-6.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$2.40 NT$77.6

-41.67%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$2.21 NT$71.2

-2.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$9.19 NT$297

-52.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$8.07 NT$260

-27.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$20.70 NT$668

-58.26%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$3.29 NT$106

-30.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$1.04 NT$33.52

6.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$2.72 NT$87.8

-43.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$3.00 NT$97.0

-55.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$2.34 NT$75.6

-51.71%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$1.90 NT$61.5

-40.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$2.97 NT$96.0

-71.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.91 NT$29.48

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$6.62 NT$214

-64.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$11.02 NT$356

12.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$1.75 NT$56.5

-31.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$2.34 NT$75.7

6.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

$0.87 NT$28.18

-3.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$38.24 NT$1,234

6.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$3.10 NT$100.0

-54.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$0.79 NT$25.49

143.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$8.02 NT$259

-4.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$1.06 NT$34.09

-6.60%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$36.9K NT$1.2M

-51.18%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$26.8K NT$865.6K

-0.72%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$64.7 NT$2,089

24.84%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$28.54 NT$921

-65.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$19.44 NT$627

24.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

$37.32 NT$1,204

-32.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$15.02 NT$485

27.50%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$10.27 NT$332

-61.25%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$305 COP 993.4K

$584 NT$18.8K

-47.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$30.1K NT$971.8K

-79.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$31.87 NT$1,029

82.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$24.09 NT$778

33.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$66.7 NT$2,153

51.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$101 NT$3,248

7.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$335 NT$10.8K

42.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$173 NT$5,571

117.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$1,021 NT$33.0K

-17.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$740 NT$23.9K

-1.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$2,442 NT$78.8K

-74.74%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

571.50%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Last update for Miaoli: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 in Medellin versus $335 in Miaoli. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 296% higher in Miaoli, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $25.00 in Miaoli. Groceries tell a different story – $193 in Medellin vs $309 in Miaoli – so Medellin wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Medellin vs Miaoli: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 16%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,546 per month in Medellin and $1,331 in Miaoli. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Miaoli, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin and $25.00 in Miaoli. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,031 in Medellin and $888 in Miaoli. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Miaoli, where all-in costs run around $888, than in Medellin at $1,031. In Miaoli it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Miaoli – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Miaoli. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Medellin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.